Artabotrys hexapetalus aka Climbing Ilang Ilang

Artabotrys hexapetalus is a climber that stays green all year. It belongs to the Annonaceae family. People call it climbing ylang-ylang or climbing ilang-ilang. Kew gives its native range as Mayotte, southern India, and Sri Lanka. The RHS lists two more names for the same species. These are Artabotrys uncinatus and Artabotrys odoratissimus. This woody plant grows as a climbing shrub or liana, a woody vine. It grows wild and in gardens across the tropics.

Useful Tropical Plants gives its height as about 20 feet [6 metres]. Its fuller account gives a top height of 26 feet [8 metres]. The plant has many stems that grow thick with age. It climbs over nearby plants, rather than standing as a tree. Its leaf stalks change shape to form hooks. These hooks grip other plants and help it climb. The stems can form a thick tangle above ground. In Sri Lanka, it grows in dry lowland forests. It keeps its leaves all year.

Gardeners grow it for its flowers and their strong scent. Gardens in the tropics grow it for its looks. These include gardens in southern China, Indo-China, the Philippines, and Java. Cut flowers keep their scent for several days in water. Their scent can fill a room once people pick them. The flowers yield an essential oil for use in perfume. People also use them to give tea a scent. They brew the flowers into a tea-like drink with a stimulating effect. The plant yields fibre that the source calls long.

Useful Tropical Plants says to grow it in sun or part shade. Kew places it in the wet tropical climate group. The accounts give no frost limit or hardiness zone. They give no guidance on soil, watering, or pruning. As it climbs, its woody growth can cover supports. It can also form thick masses over nearby plants. The accounts report that growers can raise it from seed.

Rats eat the fleshy fruits and spread the seeds. Plants have escaped from gardens. Reports call it invasive in Hawaii. This raises concern where it could reach nearby native plants. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards. It does not assess whether the plant is safe for pets. It records folk uses of both leaves and fruit as medicine. These reports do not show which doses are safe. Nor do they prove that these treatments work.